RIGA, Latvia (CP) - Canada knew the Latvian fans were going to be a factor in a game being billed locally as one of the biggest in the country's history.

But no one expected this.

The lovable Latvians turned hostile at the IIHF world hockey championship Thursday, twice delaying the game during Canada's easy 11-0 win over the host team.

American referee Rick Looker called 16 minor penalties against Latvia - including eight in the first 18 minutes - and the 10,000-plus screaming fans at Arena Riga responded by littering the playing surface with coins, noise makers and even a shoe and cellphone.

"We knew that their fans were going to help them in this game," Canadian forward Jason Williams said. "They were enthused, they love their hockey. They don't want to see their team get blown out.

"It was tough to see, but sometimes the game goes like that."

The passionate Latvian fans have been one of the stories of the tournament, relentlessly cheering their team with as much enthusiasm during a 5-0 loss to Finland as a 5-1 win over Slovenia.

But this one turned ugly, particularly in the third period.

The game was stopped and the ice was resurfaced at 4:50 after Latvian captain Aleksandrs Semjonovs was called for slashing Sidney Crosby.

"I understand the fan reaction because I think there were many mistakes from the referee," Semjonovs said afterwards. "We played over a half game (in the penalty box), it's not possible to play like that."

The fans' ire continued to rage into Friday morning, when a group of about 50 jersey-clad fans decended upon the hotel where the referees were staying, honking horns and shouting obscenities. Police were called to break up the crowd.

Looker, who called 25 minors in an Italy-Switzerland game earlier in the tournament, had to be escorted from the ice by a security as batteries and lighters were hurled in his direction during the stoppage in the third period.

Latvian forward Janis Sprukts addressed the crowd in Latvian while the Zambonis cleaned up the debris, asking them to stop and allow the game to continue.

"Usually, they were great fans," Sprukts said. "They've been supporting any kind of result and giving us a boost to play.

"Today was just a strange feeling."

The game was also stopped late in the first period due to debris on the ice.

Canada took advantage of the power-play opportunities, scoring nine times with a man advantage.

Williams, a forward who plays the point on the power play, led the way with a goal and three assists for Team Canada (4-0-0). Kyle Calder added two goals while Crosby, Brad Boyes, Patrice Bergeron, Brendan Shanahan, Jeff Carter, Matt Pettinger, Mike Richards and Scott Hartnell also scored.

Goalie Marc Denis, who made 26 saves for the shutout, says his view of the Latvian fans hasn't been tainted.

"These are passionate fans and you have to feel for their frustration," Denis said. "North Americans could probably take a page or two from their book - they're behind their team no matter what the score is."

The Latvians were outmatched from the beginning.

Canada showed them speed they hadn't yet seen in the tournament and the Latvian players were forced to try and slow them by using their sticks.

"We're a team with great speed, I think that caused a lot of the penalties," Shanahan said. "If you're a team that has more puck possession and more puck speed and a standard is being called very strictly, you're going to draw a lot of penalties."

Said Latvian coach Petr Vorobev: "Canada players know how to play with such referees, not our guys. We cannot blame the referees. There's a lot of difference between the two countries."

Thursday's game started in a familiar way. The fans that had made it inside from the beer tents started blowing horns more than 15 minutes before the puck was dropped.

When the teams came out at the start of the game, a giant maroon and white Latvian flag that covered several rows of seats was unfurled in the stands while the fans took the noise to a new level, chanting, "Latvia! Latvia!"

It was so loud that earplugs were given to family members of the Canadian players, who arrived in Riga on Wednesday and were watching their first game of the tournament.

"We think Latvian fans are great," Shanahan said. "We want them to continue to support this tournament."

Players from both teams seemed confused a number of times early in the game when they weren't able to hear Looker blow his whistle to stop play.

Williams got Canada rolling at 5:41 when his point shot got through goalie Sergejs Naumovs, who was being screened by Shanahan.

Just over three minutes later, a wide-open Crosby made it 2-0 on a 5-on-3 when Williams found him with a nice pass. The 18-year-old Crosby has scored in all four of Team Canada's games and leads the tournament in scoring with nine points.

Further goals by Boyes and Bergeron in the first period had given Canada full control of the game until the fans decided to stop it. Players were sent to their dressing rooms and the ice was cleaned before the final two minutes of the opening period were played.

"A few fans decided to throw things, it doesn't ruin the way we feel about them all," said Canadian coach Marc Habscheid. "I thought the referee called what he had to call."

In the other game Thursday, Russia routed Ukraine 6-0.

Notes: It was Canada's largest win over Latvia since a 14-0 victory at the 1935 world championship ... Team Canada faces the Czech Republic on Sunday and Finland on Monday ... Latvia's best ever finish in the event is fifth in 2000.